'Los Pastores' tradition continues Saturday at Mission San José

Southside Reporter :
December 16, 2013

It's a stirring tale of good and evil that dates back centuries, a Spanish version of the Nativity told from the shepherds' point of view. “Los Pastores” isn't so much about the Christ child as it is about the devil's efforts to stop the shepherds from finding their savior.

One of the earliest versions of the play in what is now Texas is believed to have been performed at the Spanish colonial missions in San Antonio in the 1700s.

It is perhaps fitting, then, that the oldest continually running production of “Los Pastores” in San Antonio is the one done by the Guadalupe Players on the grounds of Mission San José. This will be the 66th anniversary of the folk play, set for 7 p.m. Saturday . It will be sung in Spanish. Narration will be in English by Felix Almaraz, Ph.D., a history professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. A program guide will be available.

It's a free event held outdoors. Bring your own chairs. Check the weather and be prepared for cold winds. Hot food and drinks will be available for purchase.

In summary, the play revolves around the shepherds' journey to honor Jesus and the roadblocks Lucifer throws up to try to stop them from getting to Bethlehem. In the end, the Archangel Michael overcomes Lucifer, and the shepherds get to see the baby Jesus.

Don Leandro Granados brought this version to San Antonio from Mexico around 1910, according to mission officials. Father Carmelo Tranchese of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church edited and translated the text. Parishioners at Guadalupe began performing the play regularly in the early 1940s; the Guadalupe Players first performed at Mission San José in 1947 and have been doing it ever since.